Maxwell 24: Juicing, Chiropracters, and Faux Insurance

[Maggie Mae]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I know there is objectively good and bad - but i've read some bad writing that is wildly popular

I'm currently reading some of the worst written books imaginable, yet they were popular enough to spawn TWO films. Perhaps someone should read a Maxwell book. For Science the blog. 

[OhNoNike]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I have never read them, but is it possible she's writing for a specific demographic with which her style would resonate?  

I know there is objectively good and bad - but i've read some bad writing that is wildly popular

 

She has sample chapters on the blog.  I’d screenshot, but unsure if that’s allowed?  

Its a combination of too many details about nothing and not enough details about the only things that may be somewhat interesting.  

 

[mango_fandango]

The sample chapter of the first book mentions Father’s Day. It details what breakfast they ate, but in the evening only “favourite dinner” is mentioned with no indication of what it is. The whole Father’s Day paragraph is just that, a random paragraph at the beginning of the chapter. 

The whole series seems to be like that; random paragraphs plonked in with no real relevance to the plot, that aren’t really elaborated on and could well be edited out. 

[IReallyAmHopewell]

3 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I have never read them, but is it possible she's writing for a specific demographic with which her style would resonate?  

I know there is objectively good and bad - but i've read some bad writing that is wildly popular

 

Please! They give merely "dull" a bad name. These are excruciating. And, yes, I tried to read one when it was free for Kindle. The Castleberry's courtship books are way better. She should call them and get their tips. Waiting For Her Isaac and the rest of the Courtship Series are way better than the hopeless stuff Sarah "writes". I've honestly read better work helping with elementary school "author" workshops. I wish they would let her attend writing conferences--even with a chaperone. I know it will never happen, but if she does like to write then she would be willing to learn. So sad that a woman her age is so gullible as to think she really IS an accomplished writer just because like-minded people by her stuff to keep their kids in that Gothard-y bubble. At an age where many ARE really published by actual publishers, have a literary agent to represent them and real book tours, Sarah turns out books with jokes that aren't jokes about taco chips and dogs and whatever else she can find that's too dull for ordinary people.

[sparkles]

1 hour ago, IReallyAmHopewell said:

 I wish they would let her attend writing conferences--even with a chaperone.

Actually, both she and Teri did attend a writer’s conference. Granted, it was a Christian writer’s conference, but at least it was something. TBH, though, Sarah could attend every conference that comes her way, but I don’t think she’d ever really improve. She is not a naturally talented writer and therein lies the problem. 

 https://blog.titus2.com/2017/05/27/colorado-writers-conference/

I think one of Sarah’s big problems is that everything is kept within the family and since they all think with one mind, there’s no chance that she’ll receive objective critique. I also think they’re trying to make sure all of the content is meets their narrow criteria for acceptability. No one is really concerned with, or qualified to comment on her writing ability, her storytelling, grammar, sentence structure, etc. As long the characters and their actions fall within their guidelines, all is good. 

Outside critique is essential if you want to grow as a writer, or in any other creative endeavor, for that matter. My daughter was lucky enough to be accepted at several summer programs for young writers, where at least half of each daily session was spent in critique, with both instructors and peers. Even though she decided not to pursue creative writing, she still says the experience was invaluable and has served her well in everything she does. How sad that Sarah, talent or lack thereof notwithstanding, will never be given that opportunity.

[Tangy Bee]

Have the Maxwells stopped touring or are they just taking a break??

[kpmom]

52 minutes ago, Tangy Bee said:

Have the Maxwells stopped touring or are they just taking a break??

I believe they are done touring.  I think Teri and Steve do some speaking engagements close to home, things like homeschool conferences where they are just two of many speakers, but I think that's it.  I don't believe they do their own conferences anymore.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

53 minutes ago, kpmom said:

I believe they are done touring.  I think Teri and Steve do some speaking engagements close to home, things like homeschool conferences where they are just two of many speakers, but I think that's it.  I don't believe they do their own conferences anymore.

Is Sarah the sole financial provider with those books?

[anjulibai]

They still sell MOTH, Preparing Sons, etc. Plus, Steve has his hands in some of the sons' businesses, so probably gets money form that. Not sure how much they might be making on affiliate links, but they are doing those more and more lately. 

I also imagine, they have money from investments. Steve is pretty savvy that way. 

[socalrules]

I am surprised Sarah was even allowed to go to the Christian writers conference. Christian fiction can be really good.  It reminds me of cozy mysteries. No sex, cursing or violence but still exciting. In the mysteries, the murder sort of take place off screen/book. The romances may not have sex but you can still have hugging, kissing and real dates. Woman can be fully developed people with careers and goals outside of the Maxwell lifestyle. There is just faith sprinkled in. It’s a very popular genre and has nothing to do with fundamentalism. Think Hallmark movies/mysteries but in book form.  Sarah would never be allowed to read Christian fiction because it would be considered taboo in the Maxwell world. I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of people at the conference were more like FJ members than Sarah.

My goal has always been to finish writing a book, likely a cozy mystery. I don’t care about publication, just to finish one of the many I have started. I have no problem reading about sex or violence but am horrific at writing it. Sarah gives me hope because if she can write and finish writing a book, there is no reason I cannot as well.

[Foudeb]

New post up claiming to be a tart recipe. That was not a tart recipe. That was a pie recipe. (Yes this is a hill I'm prepared to die on). Tarts are crust topped with fruit. Pies are crust then fruit then more crust. That was definitely a pie. 

So another fine day when champion homemakers extraordinaires don't know what they're talking about. 

/steps off soapbox. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

35 minutes ago, Foudeb said:

New post up claiming to be a tart recipe. That was not a tart recipe. That was a pie recipe. (Yes this is a hill I'm prepared to die on). Tarts are crust topped with fruit. Pies are crust then fruit then more crust. That was definitely a pie. 

So another fine day when champion homemakers extraordinaires don't know what they're talking about. 

/steps off soapbox. 

Thank you for explaining the difference. I have never made a tart so I didn’t actually know the difference. I’m a pie person. I like crust. Well I like good crust. Bad crust on a pie is the saddest thing ever. 

[anjulibai]

Yeah, I saw that and thought "uh, that's not a tart". I'm not sure I'd even call it a pie though. Pie's have filling. This is just cake with cherries baked in. 

[SassyPants]

We served this dessert recently when we had weekend guests. We all agreed. It is delicious.

Tense matters Terri. It WAS delicious.

 

And she was the teacher!

 

[Maggie Mae]

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

 I’m a pie person. I like crust. Well I like good crust. Bad crust on a pie is the saddest thing ever. 

Tart crust is differently made, as well. 

Pies are allowed to not have the top crust and still be pie, at least in the US. 

I'm actually not a fan of pie, other than specific times of the year. I also don't care much about cake. So I'm just a weirdo, sharing my weirdness. 

[Alisamer]

I think a big part of the problem with Sarah's writing comes from Steve's obsession with "idols". Anything anyone enjoys too much is an "idol" and therefore sinful. From Pepsi to hobbies. "Fun" is suspect. Anything more than "mildly pleasant" is suspicious. 

It's hard to write about interesting people doing interesting things if your life has been structured to stay as deliberately bland as possible, and your family are the ones editing your books. I imagine if she had the moody family do something ACTUALLY fun, without it being 100% church related or lamented afterward as regretful, Steve would probably schedule a "meeting" with Sarah. And then he'd weep and express concern for her soul.

I am a little encouraged that she manages to publish and sell books, though. I've got a couple half-finished ones sitting around. Maybe this November I can actually FINISH one of them.

[JermajestyDuggar]

38 minutes ago, Maggie Mae said:

Tart crust is differently made, as well. 

Pies are allowed to not have the top crust and still be pie, at least in the US. 

I'm actually not a fan of pie, other than specific times of the year. I also don't care much about cake. So I'm just a weirdo, sharing my weirdness. 

I can sit and eat an entire plain pie crust. Just crust. Mmmmm...

[MamaJunebug]

1 hour ago, Maggie Mae said:

Tart crust is differently made, as well. 

Pies are allowed to not have the top crust and still be pie, at least in the US. 

I'm actually not a fan of pie, other than specific times of the year. I also don't care much about cake. So I'm just a weirdo, sharing my weirdness. 

Sister weirdo here. Give me a wedge of good cherry pie about January and a great square if carrot cake around July and I’m good for the year.

Now, a savory quiche? I could swallow it almost whole!!! Any day!!! 8-D 

[Maggie Mae]

41 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

Now, a savory quiche? I could swallow it almost whole!!! Any day!!! 8-D 

I love eggs so much. 

 

[PennySycamore]

I need to make a practice apply pie before Thanksgiving.  Well, a practice any sort of pie.  My pastry always turns out better when it's not been so long since I've baked.  I usually make both an apple pie and a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and have leftover pie for breakfast the next day.  

[socalrules]

I don’t understand the tart recipe. You put in the crust mixture and then the cherries. Well how does the crust get on top? It isn’t mentioned. Did I miss something? Do you save part of the crust mixture for the top? Do the cherries just dig themselves a tunnel through the crust mixture so they have some on top and bottom? 

[Lady Grass Lake]

No where in that recipe does it say to add the cherries.  It looks like a Cherry Clafoutis. A creamy custard based tart filled with fresh cherries.   Whit the clafoutis, you lay the cherries in the pan, then pour the rest of the mixed ingredients over them.  The crust is like an Impossible Bisquick pie, so you have like a custard on the bottom and a crust forms on the top.   You can also do this with blueberries.  The first sentence also made me wince, until I inserted the words "you remember" after Do.      

[usedbicycle]

I call fruit baked in batter a cobbler. Pies and tarts involve pie crust that you roll out with a rolling pin.

Warm blackberry cobbler in a cast iron skillet with vanilla ice cream is my all-time favorite dessert.

 

[kpmom]

2 hours ago, socalrules said:

 Do the cherries just dig themselves a tunnel through the crust mixture so they have some on top and bottom? 

It sounds like that's what they do.  At least that's what I assume she means by let the cherries sink in.

I wonder what the crust tastes like?  It doesn't seem like it would be flaky like a pie crust. 

[Coconut Flan]

It doesn't look like it makes much if any crust.  I'm not sure what it is closest to in the dessert line.  It isn't really a clafoutis, but that's possibly closer than anything else.  It doesn't look like any cobbler that I've ever had and it isn't a pie either.